Have you ever noticed that pregnancy has a way of breaking down social boundaries? I mean, what other time in your adult life would it be acceptable for a complete stranger to ask intimate details about your body? Or worse, just come up and start touching you! For whatever reason, there is something about…

…Or at least, when breast isn’t easy! Some of the most common questions a doula encounters are about breastfeeding. New mothers often ask “how do I breastfeed?”, and “how do I know if I have enough milk?” We are bombarded with messages and imagery about breastfeeding and the slogan “breast is best” and that breastfeeding…

“Oh my gosh, it’s bigger than his head!” I had hoped that with the birth of my second son, and a lack of issues breastfeeding the second time around, that my life-long love/hate relationship with my breasts would shift definitively closer to “love”. Ever since puberty, which started earlier for me than most of…

I’m done. I’m done being a doula. More specificially, I am done being a doula who accepts the current status quo. I am done being part of a group that claims a sisterhood while stabbing each other in the back with hurtful words. This is my letter of resignation from the…

You’ve struggled. It’s been months, or maybe years. You’ve watched friends and family blossom and glow and give birth. You’ve snuggled babies that weren’t yours. You’ve listened to friends complain about difficult labours, sleepless nights and the terrible twos. You wished every single day that it was you. And now it is. Your time…

Another month, and another negative test. Another month of crying and telling my spouse “not this time”. Another cringe as the cashier smiles at me when I slide the pregnancy test across the counter, even though I know it will probably be negative. More pregnancy announcements on Facebook. More baby showers and birth announcements. And…

Recently, I posted a picture on our Facebook page. It was a bit of a whim, I wasn’t sure if I should post it. Part of me thought that it was common knowledge. Part of me thought that since the topic is sometimes controversial, it might not be well received. In the end, I…

Pregnancy and birth are a thrilling time for many women. From the moment the second line appears, you are responsible for another human being. Many find that ultrasounds and, later, movement, bring them closer to their babies. Birth is an even more intense time. The rush of hormones women experience are designed to help babies…

All of us at Toronto Family Doulas are certifying with ProDoula. This week, the owners of ProDoula declared that this was Best Friends Week! They are using the opportunity to offer a discount on their trainings when you sign up with a friend. (Hint: We are hosting both a birth doula and a postpartum…

Why Colouring in a Colouring Book is my New Favourite Thing When I’m stressed, I knit. The click of my needles, the repetitiveness of the stitches, and the feel of the yarn in my hands is like a form of meditation. Insert needle, yarn over, pull loop through, slide the other needle out.…